Drowned World
by Themisto's-Heart
Summary: William Cooper's life starts to spiral out of control when an unknown assailant repeatedly tries to kill him. Luckily he has Frank Moses on his side (Post-Movie, friendship Cooper/Moses, violence, language).
1. Chapter 1

**DROWNED WORLD**

SUMMARY: William Cooper's life starts to spiral out of control when an unknown assailant repeatedly tries to kill him. Luckily he has Frank Moses on his side (Post-Movie, friendship Cooper/Moses, violence, language).

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Nothing's mine. And beware. English is not my first language, but I hope the story is readable.

* * *

**CHAPTER 1**

William Cooper stood motionless in front of his door. The biting wind made him shiver, but he didn't move from his spot. He saw soft light coming from the living room and knew that Michelle was waiting for him. This wasn't unusual, but dread was still curling in his chest. Since the disaster with Frank Moses their marriage was strained. Michelle had grown distanced and Will couldn't really blame her for it. He understood her feelings and he had tried his best to reassure her and the kids. He had offered to look for a new home and he had tried to spend as much time as possible with them. Of course Michelle had been aware that his work wasn't an ordinary 9-to-5 job, but there was a big difference between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand. Will had explained that Moses would bother them never again and that they never had been in any immediate danger, but Michelle didn't believe him. And Will still couldn't blame her for it. She hadn't met Moses. She knew nothing about the man.

Will sighed softly and opened the door. Time to face the music.

"Will?"

He sighed again. His wife's voice sounded tired and strained. This was the fourth day in a row he came home this late and he felt guilty.

"Yeah, it's me. I didn't think you'd be still awake."

Michelle was sitting on the couch. Her left hand was clenched in her grey cardigan and Will instantly knew that this meant trouble for him even though her face was impassive. The agent got out of his coat and suit jacket and draped the garments over the back of the couch. Will stepped closer to Michelle and leaned over to kiss her, but she turned her head away.

"We need to talk, Will."

He sank heavily onto the couch. Deep down he knew what Michelle was about to tell him, but he didn't want to acknowledge it. Maybe it was just another mundane problem and she only wanted to hear his opinion.

"Will… I don't think I can go on like this."

"Like what?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I don't feel safe here anymore. I jump at every damn shadow. Gracie and Jack are scared too. This isn't our home anymore!"

Will knew all of this. It was not the first time Michelle had told him this after all. He answered like he had done before, "We can move, Michelle. That's no problem at all."

"Move? Where? Into a _bunker_? What guarantee can you give me that we will be safe?"

He could give her no guarantees. Will longed to restore her sense of security. He longed to restore their previous life. But he couldn't.

"Michelle, please…"

"No, Will. No." Michelle rose and nervously paced the length of their living room. "I'm sorry, but no. You know what I want."

He felt ice-cold. He wanted to protest, to beseech her, but no words came over his lips. Michelle looked close to tears as she said, "I want a divorce, Will."

"Michelle… We…" He had to take a deep breath. "You want to throw our marriage away? Just like that? We can…"

"We can _what_!? There's nothing we can do. And do you really think that this doesn't upset me as well? Do you think that I don't care? That this is easy for me? I love you, Will, but I can't live with you anymore. I have to think about Jack and Gracie. And…"

Michelle fell silent. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and Will had a lump in his throat as well. He wanted to rail at her, but he knew what she was talking about. He didn't want to admit it, but he had always known that having a family in his line of work was bordering on insanity. He knew that he had been selfish. Reckless, even. But he loved Michelle. He remembered their first meeting as clear as if it had been yesterday. It had been love at first sight. It had been fucking perfect. Their life together had been fucking perfect. And now it would be all over? Will didn't want to accept this. There had to be another way to solve their problems.

"Do you want me to quit my job? I'll do it. I'll find something else."

She shook her head. "You love your job."

"I love you and the children more."

Why was she still shaking her head? He meant it. Michelle wiped her tears with a shaking hand away and said, "I can't ask that of you."

"You don't have to."

"Will… This won't work."

"Why? Tell me what you want."

Her hands knotted again in the folds of her cardigan. After several moments of strained silence she finally answered, "I've met someone."

What? Will couldn't believe what he had heard. He felt like someone had sucker punched him. She had met someone? The words were fairly tumbling out of her mouth and her voice was getting louder as she explained further, "His name's Ben. He is an architect and works from home. I met him at the coffee shop near Gracie's school. He is good with children. He… He is good for me. I didn't plan this. It just happened."

Will's hands had balled into fists. It had just _happened_? Ben? An architect? He would find and kill this fucking wife-stealing asshole! He just couldn't believe it. Yes, they had problems, but not even in his darkest nightmares he would have thought that Michelle would cheat on him. How could she? He had done everything in his power to save their relationship and she went and fell for this fucker Ben!

"I can see you're mad at me, Will. I understand that. But I simply can't live with you any longer. I hope you can forgive me someday."

The fight suddenly deserted him and left him exhausted and sick to his stomach. She couldn't live any longer with him. He had blown it. He wished that he at least could blame his failing marriage on Frank Moses, but even that was impossible. Moses had only shown him how vulnerable he was in his personal life; he never would have really exploited this weakness unlike many other potential enemies. At least Michelle, Gracie, and Jack were only scared and not dead.

Will rose and collected his jacket and coat. He slipped them on and said without looking at Michelle, "I'll get my stuff later."

"You don't have to. We will move in with Ben."

Of course. Will only nodded silently and turned to leave. He needed some space. Michelle made no move to stop him. It was over.

TBC.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

FIVE MONTHS LATER  
Sofia, Bulgaria

Frank Moses rolled onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes. It was three in the morning and sleep was tenaciously eluding him. He always had been a light sleeper who only needed a few hours rest, but his sleeplessness was starting to take a toll on him. It had started almost a month ago. Things between Sarah and him hadn't worked out like he had hoped. At first everything had been great. He genuinely liked Sarah and found her sometimes a bit naïve enthusiasm very endearing. And she seemed to like him back. After their second month together everyday life had ended their honeymoon and the first problems had cropped up. Frank was reluctant to talk about his past with Sarah. A lot of things were too terrible or too dangerous to tell her, but she wouldn't drop it. A part of him could understand her curiosity and her wish to get closer to him, but another, bigger part resented her for her prodding. Frank had long ago made his peace with the past; he just didn't want to talk about it. Their talks had turned into discussions; their discussions had turned into fights. Another problem was Sarah's growing realization that their lifestyle was not at all comparable to her romantic novels. Frank and the other R.E.D.'s were good, but not every mission was a cakewalk. Sarah didn't have their training and their experience; it was only natural that she felt often out of her depth, especially when one of them got injured. He knew that she felt helpless in these moments, so he had asked Victoria to take Sarah under her wing. The two women had formed an unlikely friendship and Sarah could only benefit from Vicky's skills. Sadly, this hadn't worked in the long run either. Sarah and Frank had drifted apart and decided to end their relationship. It had been painful for him, but strangely relieving as well. Frank didn't know what to think about that.

With a barely suppressed groan he sat up and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. Had there really been love between them? Frank wasn't sure, but he missed Sarah. He missed the connection they'd had. Frank rose and silently dressed himself. Sleep was out of the option and the little hotel room was suffocating him. He needed some air.

Despite the late (or early) hour, Sofia was still awake. There were still people on the streets and the somewhat dingy looking bars near the hotel were open. Frank was aware that he should lie low. Tomorrow was their big day. They had planned to infiltrate the Mexican embassy and to take out a high profile drug runner. No problem for them, but they shouldn't attract any undue attention beforehand. Frank nevertheless entered one of the bars. He wanted a drink. And he needed some sort of distraction.

The bar was seedier than Frank had anticipated. A handful of patrons were slouching at the bar, some of the rickety tables were occupied. Most of the men and women were obviously drunk and seemed to have no better places to be. It was a sad tableau.

Frank moved deeper into the bar. Nobody was paying him any attention. He ordered a whiskey and ambled over to the far end of the bar. He just wanted to take a seat, when a man sitting in the remotest corner of the room grabbed his attention. He couldn't see his face, but his posture was familiar. Frank strolled closer. A slight grin curled his lips, as he said, "I didn't think I'd meet you here, Cooper."

The young agent lifted his head. He looked terrible. Someone had beaten him, although judging by the state of his hands he had given as good as he had received. Dark circles ringed his hazel eyes and he was radiating weariness. His hair was disheveled and longer than Frank remembered. His stubbled cheeks and informal clothes made him look strangely unfamiliar. Frank pulled one of the chairs closer and sat down. Cooper took a swig of something that looked like vodka and finally replied, "What are you doing in Bulgaria?"

"I'm here for a job."

"Do I want to know?"

Frank grinned again. "Probably not."

Cooper took another swallow and simply nodded. Frank's amusement faded as he studied the younger man closer. Cooper seemed downtrodden. An air of melancholy hung around him. And this close his injuries looked quite bad. Had someone actually tried to strangle him?

"Do you need a doctor, Cooper?"

The agent grinned mirthlessly and answered, "Have my medicine right here."

He saluted Frank with his glass, drained it, and ordered another shot. Seeing this made Frank feel strange. With some surprised dismay he finally identified this nagging feeling as worry. Why the hell was he worrying about Cooper? The man was a trained agent and more than capable in his job. His injuries were most probably quite painful, but surely not life-threatening. Cooper would never take such a risk. Or would he? Frank felt suddenly unsure. Cooper's demeanor was unusual. And Frank had to admit that he had a bit of a soft spot for the agent. He had liked the younger man right from the start. His single-mindedness and general approach to the job reminded Frank of his own methods. And he had taken Cooper's attempts at apprehending him never personal. He knew that the agent had simply followed his orders. He knew that feeling; after all most of Frank's career had comprised of nothing but following orders. But Frank was also aware that the others didn't share his view about Cooper. Marvin or Vicky would already have tried to kill the agent for his past transgressions.

The younger man suddenly asked, "Are you here to finish the job?"

Frank blinked. He had no idea what Cooper was talking about. What job? They had spoken a handful of times after the VP-affair, but they had never broached topics like their respective missions. Cooper could impossibly know about their job in the embassy. But what else was he talking about? Frank had already opened his mouth to question the younger man further, when Cooper's posture once again came to his attention. At first glance the agent looked calm. Almost relaxed. But Frank could clearly feel the tension in his frame. As if he was readying himself for an attack.

"I'm not sure I know what you're talking about", was finally his cautious answer.

Cooper tossed his shot of vodka back like it was water and replied, "Didn't think you'd play coy with me."

"I'm not playing _coy_. I just have no idea what you're talking about."

Frank was not ready to let the cat out of the bag. Their infiltration was none of Cooper's business.

"I'm referring to your repeated tries to kill me. The car bomb. The hidden sniper near my house. The poison in my shaving cream, which was a nice touch by the way. The 'botched' burglary. Should I go on? Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that you try a frontal assault now."

Frank wasn't sure what surprised _him_ more. The fact that Cooper thought he was trying to kill him, or the unemotional way the younger man had talked about his several near-death-experiences. He took a sip of his terrible whiskey and said, "Why the hell should I want to kill you? We parted on good terms. And really, _poison_ in your _shaving cream_? I'm almost insulted."

This was not Frank's style and Cooper was well aware of that. The agent silently stared at Frank, who calmly reciprocated the look. In this case he had nothing to hide. At last Cooper nodded and ordered again. What was wrong with him? Frank didn't want to pry, but his curiosity got the better of him.

"What's up with you? You seem so… different. Has something happened? Is your family okay?"

Cooper's mouth twisted and Frank was quite aware that he was doing the same thing Sarah had done: stirring up the past and nosing around in private matters. And Sarah's curiosity had been understandable and normal, whereas Frank had not really the right to question Cooper. To Frank's further surprise the agent answered him, "My family… Michelle left me and took the children with her."

Shit. Frank hadn't expected that. Cooper and his wife had seemed so close. Like an unbreakable unit. Frank had the nasty suspicion that their split had at least in part to do with his home invasion, but at that time he had seen no other option. His fear for Sarah had obliterated any other concerns.

"Cooper… Dammit, I'm sorry. I…"

The agent interrupted him, "Don't. It's not your fault. Fucked it up all on my own."

Frank doubted that but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He asked instead, "When did she leave?"

"About five months ago."

"Does she know about the attempted hits on you?"

"Nah. We haven't spoken much."

Frank rubbed his face. "When was the first hit?"

"About two months ago."

Christ. This was getting better and better. "What does the company say about this whole mess?"

Cooper shrugged. Frank stared at him in exasperation. The agent surely couldn't be serious. "You haven't told them?" Suddenly something occurred to him. "You think they sanctioned the hits on you?"

The younger man shrugged again. "I'm not sure."

Frank sighed deeply. It would not be the first time the CIA turned against its agents. And Cooper had been embroiled in some very sensitive matters. Frank drained his glass, gestured towards Cooper's face, and asked, "Was that your would-be-assassin?"

"Nah. That was just work."

Frank had to admit that he was curious, but he didn't ask further. Cooper's job was none of his business. So he just nodded and ordered another whiskey. Cooper and he sat in companionable silence. Frank was actually quite surprised how comfortable he felt around the younger man. He pondered for a moment if he should offer his help, but he squashed this impulse almost as fast as it arose. Cooper probably would only be insulted. And Frank certainly had his own problems to contend with.

The minutes ticked by. Frank alternated between watching Cooper and the sad crowd around them. He wasn't sure which depressed him more. After his third whiskey he rose, threw a few bills onto the table, and said, "I'll better get going. See you around, Cooper."

The agent saluted him again with his refilled glass and slouched back into the shadows. Worry gnawed at Frank, but he didn't turn back when he left the bar. He had a job to do.

TBC.


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

TWO MONTHS LATER  
Somewhere in America

Will was in pain. No, he was in _agony_. His left shoulder was dislocated again and he hadn't been able to properly set it on his own. His back felt like someone had poured acid over it. Several lacerations hindered his movements and fresh blood was steadily running downwards and soaking his shirt and dark blue suit jacket. He was sure that he had at least two broken ribs. Then there was a broken right wrist and several deep cuts on his right hand courtesy of a shattered window. Driving his car had nearly been impossible in his state. He was actually surprised that he had come this far. He didn't know if his attacker was still pursuing him. Maybe he had managed to kill the man, maybe not. When his house had started to burn, Will had decided that it was time to leave. He had felt a distant pang at seeing the destruction, but all the good feelings he had associated with his home had evaporated when Michelle and the kids had left.

Will killed the engine of his car and carefully opened the door. Every movement sent harsh jolts of pain through his body. He slowly shambled around the car and braved the short distance to the nondescript house. He didn't know why he had come here, but it had been the only place that had popped up in his brain.

Will reached the front door. He knocked with a shaking hand on the white painted wood and frowned with dismay at the streak of blood he left there. He was debating internally if he should try to remove the stain, when the door suddenly opened. Will unsuccessfully tried to contain a flinch. He hadn't heard anyone coming to the door. He should pay more attention. Will blinked a few times and forced himself to focus on the person in the doorway. It was Moses. Who pointed a gun directly at his face. After a few tense seconds the former agent lowered the weapon and said, "Cooper. Didn't expect you to visit. Wanna come in?"

Moses didn't ask how Will had found out about his new home. He didn't comment on the bedraggled state the agent was in. Will slowly shuffled over the threshold. He felt dizzy and desperately wanted to sit down. Or lay down. Suddenly it occurred to him that he should warn Moses about his attacker. He cleared his throat and mumbled, "Maybe I've a tail."

"Maybe?"

Moses didn't turn around. He disappeared in the kitchen and Will followed him. Maybe he could sit down there. And maybe Moses had a glass of water for him.

When Will entered the kitchen nobody was there. He slowly looked around in the nondescript room, and then shambled over to the table. With a barely suppressed groan he sank onto one of the wooden chairs. He tried in vain to find a more comfortable position. But sitting was at least better than standing. His eyes drifted close.

A hand touched his left shoulder. Will jerked awake. He had been badly startled and fresh pain exploded in his dislocated joint. God, he wanted to die. But no death was forthcoming; instead a pair of gentle hands was starting to divest him of his jacket and shirt. Moses carefully took hold of his left arm and said softly, "Brace yourself."

Before he could prepare himself, Moses wrenched his shoulder joint back into its customary place. Will couldn't hold back any longer. His pained cry echoed through the room. Will was shaking like a leaf in a storm and the queasy feeling of faintness had intensified. He wasn't sure if he could stay conscious for much longer. Why did his shoulder hurt this time much more than the first? It was fucking unbearable. Moses gave him a few moments, and then he started to methodically clean and bandage Will's wounds, who desperately wished for unconsciousness. After a seeming eternity Moses was finally finished. He helped Will to his feet and said, "C'mon, kid. You should lie down a bit. I have a spare bedroom."

Will automatically wanted to protest, but he swallowed his words. He was in dire need of some rest and a safe place. And Moses could provide these things. He should simply take what was freely offered.

They finally reached the small bedroom on the first floor. Moses maneuvered Will carefully down onto the mattress and efficiently stripped him of his shoes, socks and slacks. Only clad in his underwear, Will curled around himself. He was just dimly aware that Moses tucked him in, before his exhaustion overwhelmed him.

TBC.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

Frank sat beside Cooper and watched him. The younger man had slept for almost ten hours and now was slowly stirring. A frown marred his beaten face and it was clear that he was in quite a bit of pain, but Frank didn't dare to dope him up too much. He needed Cooper as lucid as possible.

Cooper's frown deepened and he slowly blinked his eyes open. They were glassy and unfocussed and Frank suppressed a curse. He needed some answers from Cooper and his sad state wouldn't be helpful for their little interview. He suppressed a sigh and asked softly, "Are you thirsty, Cooper?"

The agent nodded weakly and Frank helped him drinking. After Cooper had settled back into the bed, Frank decided that there was no time like the present and he started his questioning.

"Cooper. What happened? Who attacked you?"

Cooper blinked sluggishly and hoarsely answered, "He was there. Wasn't careful enough. Jumped me."

"Who, Cooper?"

"Don't know."

Great. Frank assumed it was the same guy that had repeatedly tried to off Cooper in the past. Apparently he had gotten in a lucky hit.

"Where did he attack you? Cooper?"

The younger man's eyes had closed again and he sounded far off as he whispered, "Home."

Cooper's breath evened out and Frank let him rest again. He knew the basic facts, now he was debating how he should proceed. Of course Cooper could stay with him as long as he wanted, at least as long as he had somewhat recovered. But should he maybe do more? He liked Cooper and he actually hated seeing him like this. Whoever the mysterious assassin was, he had attacked the young agent viciously. Those injuries were not meant to kill, they were meant to hurt. The knife slashes were far too shallow for killing strikes. It looked like the attacker had just played with Cooper and Frank was surprised how much that thought infuriated him. Frank decided to investigate a little.

* * *

"Please, Victoria. You don't have to do anything. Just watch over him for me."

"Fine, Francis. I will watch over Agent Cooper. This one time. And just because it is you that asks."

Frank sighed with relief. Pestering Vicky into caring for Cooper had been nearly impossible, but he didn't want to leave the younger man alone at home. Cooper was feverish and restless and Frank feared that he wandered off in his daze. She was his only option.

* * *

Cooper's home was a wreck. The house had burned and was now nothing more than a ruin. Frank stood on the trampled front lawn and silently examined the agent's home. He wondered not for the first time what he was doing here. Cooper's assailant was surely long gone and he wouldn't have dropped some helpful hints if he was moderately proficient in his line of work. This was a dead end. And still Frank was here and stared at the destruction. He could almost picture what had happened here. Cooper, coming home after a long day at the company, entering his house. Maybe he had been just tired. Maybe he had been distracted by something. The assassin had probably lain in wait close to the front door and he had struck as soon as Cooper had entered the house. That was what Frank would have done in his place. Their fight had probably ranged through most of the ground floor and somehow a fire had started. Frank suspected that the source of the flames had been the kitchen. And then Cooper had cut his losses and luckily managed to get away.

"Did you know them? The Coopers, I mean."

Frank turned sideways. Cooper's neighbor, an elderly lady with steel gray hair and a benign expression, had ambled over to him. He had seen her, when he had arrived, poking around in her garden. Obviously her curiosity had gotten the better of her. And Frank was sharply aware that the neighbor was referring to the Coopers in the past tense.

"I know Will. What happened here?"

The neighbor touched a hand to her lips and compassionately replied, "Oh, didn't you hear already? It's terrible. First Michelle and the children left, and now this tragedy. It's simply terrible."

Frank suppressed an annoyed sigh and he asked again, "Did something happen to Will?"

"The poor dear was in the house when it burned down. I really hope he didn't have to suffer. What a terrible way to go. Anyways, I'm terribly sorry for your loss…"

The neighbor was nattering on about the dangers of life, but Frank wasn't listening any longer. He made appropriate noises at the appropriate moments, but his thoughts were far away. So there had been a burnt body inside the house. Had Cooper actually managed to kill his attacker and hadn't even noticed it? The younger man had been pretty out of it when he had reached Frank's home, but he surely had been more alert during the actual fight. Something strange was going on here and Frank's interest was piqued. He disentangled himself from the neighbor and made his way home.

TBC.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

"We need to talk, Cooper."

Will slowly opened his eyes. Two days had passed since his fight with the assassin. His fever had broken overnight and although he was still in a considerable amount of pain he finally felt a bit better.

Moses was standing next to Will's bed and was watching the agent with an unreadable expression on his face. Will supposed that Moses wanted him gone. And he couldn't blame the man for it. Were their roles reversed, he would be anxious as well. Will's attacker was probably still out there and looking for him and it was not fair to drag Moses down with him. He didn't want to cause problems for the other man.

Moses took a seat and said, "I was investigating a bit while you were unconscious. Apparently there was a body inside your house. Your neighbors think that it's you."

"_What_?"

"Is it possible that you killed your attacker?"

Will repeated his "What" and elaborated, "Nah. I don't think so. He had the upper hand. No. I would know if I had managed to kill him."

Moses looked thoughtful. "I was asking around a bit. Every official channel reports that you're the dead man in the house. Apparently you were the victim of an unfortunate accident."

Will frowned. Maybe it was the repeated hits to his head, but he couldn't understand why the company wasn't clearing up this misunderstanding. His confusion must have been apparent, because Moses said, "That are not good news, Cooper. Officially you're dead. Now they can do whatever they want with you."

"Nobody can stop me from sorting this fuck-up out."

"No. But do you really want to go public? There must be a reason why they are hushing things up. They have put a body there, if you didn't kill this punk."

Will felt suddenly very cold and his breathing got shallow. Moses leaned forward and placed a gentle hand on his uninjured shoulder. "Cooper. What's wrong?"

Nausea churned Will's stomach and he mumbled, "Michelle. The kids. They think that I'm dead…"

"Jesus…" Moses's voice sounded faint and he gently squeezed Will's shoulder. "Look, Cooper… Will. It will be alright. We'll sort this out. We'll find a way. I promise."

"How? How can we sort this out? It's… They…"

"Easy, Will, easy."

Will wanted to howl. His job always had come first in his life and he had served his country faithfully. And now they were doing _this_ to him? He didn't deserve this shit! He wanted his goddamn life back! He wanted his job and his family back! Why him?

Will became aware that Moses was talking to him. The older man's voice sounded soothing as he said, "At first we need to find out why the company is out for your blood. Think, Cooper. Why would anyone want you gone?"

Will took deep breaths and tried to calm himself. He thought back to the last few months. Nothing untoward had happened. He had done his job as usual. Since the VP-affair his life and his work had been unremarkable. He haltingly said, "Fuck, Moses, I don't know. I just don't know."

Moses sighed softly. "Looks like I have to investigate a bit at the company."

"Moses… Don't." Will didn't know what to think about all this. On one hand he was almost touched by the concern the other man showed him and he was glad to receive some help, but on the other hand he didn't want to drag Moses down with him. It was far too dangerous. "Just… Just give me another day and I'm outta here. You don't need to involve yourself further. I shouldn't have come here in the first place."

"Yeah? And what the fuck is your plan? You're barely able to stand let alone defend yourself. They will be after you again and the next time they'll kill you. Come off your fucking high horse and let me help you."

"This has nothing to do with my pride, goddammit! I just don't want you to get into this too deep. If you snoop around at the company, they will come for you too."

A soft smirk flitted over Moses's face and he said, "Aw, Cooper. I didn't know you cared that much."

"Fuck you."

There wasn't much heat behind Will's curse. He didn't really mean it and his energy was slowly fading. Exhaustion was gnawing at him and he wanted to rest. His eyelids grew heavy. Moses's voice barely registered with him, when the other man said, "Rest, Cooper. We'll talk later again."

Will mumbled, "Just be careful, Moses."

A few moments later Will was asleep again.

TBC.


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

Frank sat at his kitchen table and nursed a drink. His earlier infiltration hadn't been a roaring success. Cooper had told him the truth. There was nothing unusual or suspicious around him. Frank thumbed again through some of the files he had managed to copy. A soft knock on his door roused Frank out of his reverie. He grabbed his gun off the table and made his way to his front door. Before he could check, who was visiting him at this late hour, a familiar voice called out, "Do open the door, Francis. My feet are getting cold."

Frank put his weapon away and unlocked the door. Vicky swept inside, kissed Frank lightly on the cheek, and marched directly into his kitchen. He sighed and followed her.

"Do you want a drink, Vicky?"

"Please."

Frank fixed her a whiskey and then took a seat opposite her. Vicky took a sip and asked, "Is Agent Cooper still with you?"

Frank nodded.

"Do you think that this is a wise decision, Francis?"

"What am I supposed to do, Vicky? I can't toss him out on the streets. They'll kill him."

"You are under no obligation to help him. In case it has slipped your mind, he tried to kill you the last time."

"Wait a moment. He never tried to kill me. He tried to arrest me. Big difference."

"Oh, please, Francis. Now you are splitting hairs. Fact is that Agent Cooper got on someone's bad side and this someone tries now to kill him. I just don't want you to get caught in the crossfire."

"I really appreciate your concern, Vicky, but I know what I'm doing."

Vicky took another sip of her drink. "_Why_ are you doing this, Francis?"

Frank drank too to give himself some time to think. Why was he doing it? He reluctantly answered, "I don't… He's one of the good guys, Vicky. He's good at his job and he still has his moral compass. He doesn't deserve this shit. His family doesn't deserve this shit. I just want to help him out a bit. Just like he helped us out with the whole vice president situation."

Vicky smiled suddenly and said, "You like him."

Frank automatically wanted to deny it but he said instead, "Kind of… Yeah, okay, I like him. Happy now?"

Vicky smiled some more and then asked all business, "So. What's our next step?"

"_Our_?"

"Of course. We are a team after all."

Well, Frank couldn't argue with that, so he told Vicky everything he had managed to unearth so far. Which was admittedly not much.

"So you don't know yet who tries to murder our Agent Cooper?"

"No. There is nothing off around him. Looking at this evidence alone I'd say that the company isn't involved in the hits on him. But they released a statement that he's dead. Why would they do this, if they weren't responsible?"

Vicky hummed softly to herself and finished her drink. "Looks like we need to talk to Agent Cooper again."

Frank could only agree.

* * *

Will groggily blinked his eyes open. Something had woken him rather abruptly. For a terrifying second he thought that his assailants had found him again, a look around his room showed him that it was only Moses. And Victoria, who perched on the edge of his bed. What was going on here? Will pushed himself up into a vaguely sitting position and reached with an unsteady hand for the glass of water on his nightstand. Victoria leaned forward and assisted him. He nodded his thanks. Will cleared his throat and asked Moses, "How was it at the company?"

"Uneventful and rather unenlightening. Everything looks inconspicuous."

"I told you so."

"'I told you so's' aren't going to help us, Cooper."

Victoria ended their gentle bickering by saying, "Agent Cooper, please try to remember if you have any enemies outside of the company. If they are not involved in the assassination attempts then it has to be someone else."

Will snorted. On his missions he had acquired plenty of people who wanted to see him dead, but he couldn't think of anyone who would want to see him dead _that_ badly. And he told Moses and Victoria that. Moses looked doubtful and Victoria said, "Well, someone _does_ want to see you dead, Agent Cooper. And it would be helpful if you could point us in the direction of some of your enemies. Sitting here around isn't accomplishing much. And I would rather hate to see get Francis caught up in your deadly problems. So tell us who wants to eliminate you and we'll kill this piece of shit for you and then we can hopefully get all back to our lives."

Will settled back against the headboard. He thought for several minutes. Neither Victoria nor Moses interrupted him, they both waited patiently for his conclusion. Finally he said, "There was a weapons dealer in Eastern Europe. He had his base in the Ukraine. We… I ended his career quite… brusquely a few years ago. He managed to evade capture, but he lost everything. He never resurfaced so we assumed that he died. Maybe he isn't dead after all."

"What's his name?"

"Nikolai Shermetjew."

Victoria asked, "Is there anybody else?"

Will racked his brain again and he finally came up with two other possible candidates. Manuel Delgado had been a drug lord and Stephen Canterbury had been a former soldier, who had betrayed some sensitive information about the American missions in the Middle East.

"Those are the most obvious candidates. I can't think about anyone else."

Victoria nodded. "Well, that is at least something. We will investigate. And you should rest some more, Agent Cooper. You look rather alarming."

She patted his shoulder, rose, and left the room. Moses lingered a few moments longer and said reassuringly, "Don't worry, Cooper. We'll take care of it."

Of course Will knew what Moses and his compatriots were capable of but he felt nonetheless unhappy with these developments. He felt like he was letting Moses and the others down. They were about to fight his battle and he hated that thought. This was his problem. It was bad enough that he had dragged Moses into this fucked-up situation and now Victoria was involved too. He wouldn't be able to forgive himself if something would happen to them.

Moses had watched Will the whole time and now a crooked smile appeared on his face. "Just accept our help, Cooper. Right now you can't do anything else. Your shoulder is still a mess. Your wrist and three of your ribs are broken. You are a liability. Vicky is right. You look like absolute shit. So rest, relax, and accept our fucking help. Wasn't that the reason why you came to me? To get my help?"

Yes, Will had hoped for Moses's help, but it still rankled that he had to rely to this extent on this help. He wanted to do something. But Moses was right. He was fucked up. Even heading to the john was a major undertaking for Will. It looked like he had to bite the bullet and sit this one out. So Will just nodded. Moses smiled reassuringly and left Will's room.

* * *

"Stephen Canterbury is dead. Shot in the head. And Manuel Delgado is in prison."

Frank leaned back into his chair and sighed. That left Nikolai Shermetjew, who was apparently something like a phantom. The man had simply vanished from the face of the earth, but he was their only suspect for now.

"Nikolai Shermetjew is still unaccounted for. But I found a Yuri Shermetjew, who seems to be Nikolai's brother. Maybe we should have a little talk with him."

"Vicky, you are the best. Where is Yuri now?"

"His last known location is D.C."

"What a coincidence."

"Indeed. Ivan has put his feelers out as well and we are quite sure that we have found the new address of Yuri. Do you fancy a quick talk with him?"

"I'd love to."

TBC.


	7. Chapter 7

**CHAPTER 7**

Yuri Shermetjew was a rather slight and mousy-looking man. He was non-descriptive to the extreme and completely unassuming. He was wearing a non-descriptive and cheap suit, his hair had a non-descriptive cut, and his pasty and weak-chinned face had no distinct features. Frank had met men like him a thousand times. Yuri was bland, but there was something about him that rang every alarm bell in Frank. He wasn't sure what rubbed him the wrong way, but the second he saw Yuri, he knew that there was more to him than met the eye. Maybe Frank's gut-feeling was wrong, but he was sure that Yuri had something to do with the hits on Cooper. Vicky, who sat beside Frank in his car, looked contemplative as well. Apparently she had detected something as well.

"What do you think, Francis?"

"Maybe I'm mistaken, but I think the little rat is our man."

"Maybe you are mistaken, but there _is_ something about Yuri that I don't like."

Marvin, who occupied the backseat, added, "I don't like him either. He looks fishy."

Yuri entered his house. Frank, Vicky, and Marvin exited the car. Frank and Marvin ambled over to the front door; Vicky went to the backdoor in case their mark tried to escape. Frank rang the bell.

"Why are we doing this, Frank?"

"Marvin…"

"No, this is insane. Totally insane. We are talking about helping Cooper. _Cooper_! He is one of the bad guys and here you are running around trying to help him. You should have taken him out when he first came to you."

"He isn't a bad guy, Marvin. He helped us. I trust him. We can trust him."

Marvin still looked unimpressed, but they had to put their discussion on hold, because someone was coming to the door. Yuri opened the door and looked at them.

"Yes?"

"Yuri Shermetjew?"

"What? Who… Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Slight panic had made its way into Yuri's voice, which surprisingly had almost no detectable accent. Frank shoved the small man forcefully back into the house and directed him into the kitchen. Marvin closed and locked the door and trailed after them. Frank pushed Yuri into one of the simple wooden chairs.

"Sit down, Yuri, and shut your trap."

Shermetjew looked intimidated and did what he was told. Was this little mouse really behind the attacks on Cooper? It seemed farfetched. Frank took a seat too and watched the squirming Yuri for a long and silent moment. Marvin leaned against the doorframe and seemed wholly engrossed in his piggy.

"I have a few questions for you, Yuri."

"Questions? I don't know you. I don't know what you are talking about. What are you doing here? I… I want you to leave. I will call the police. Please leave."

Frank ignored Yuri's nervous blabbering and asked instead, "Do you know the name William Cooper?"

Shermetjew visibly blanched but he said nervously, "No. No I don't know this name. What do you want from me?"

Marvin said without looking at them, "Don't lie to us, you little shit. What do you want from Cooper?"

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Marvin simply opened his piggy and extracted a fearsome looking knife. Yuri gave a little squeak and cowered deeper into his chair. Frank sighed. "Just tell us all you know and we won't need to hurt you. So, what do you want from Cooper? Is your brother behind all this?"

Yuri seemed to fold into himself. His voice was wavering, as he answered, "Nikki is dead. He killed himself two years ago. He said he couldn't live any longer like this. Always looking over his shoulder, always on the run. These bastards ruined him! They destroyed him!"

Frank didn't really feel any sympathy. "He was an arms dealer. He got what he deserved."

"He was not!" Yuri had righted himself in the chair and stared furiously at Frank. "He was no criminal! He was tricked by your CIA! They destroyed him! They took away everything important to him! He had to hide and live like an animal! And it was all this Agent Cooper's fault! He destroyed Nikki!"

"So you decided to get even with Cooper."

Yuri nodded defiantly. "Yes. I have money. I know it doesn't look like it, but I have money. I hired an assassin. One of the best."

"But that's not the whole story, right, Yuri?"

"No. It's not."

"Then why don't you tell us the rest of it?"

Shermetjew licked his lips and finally told them, "I bought Cooper."

Frank blinked in surprise. "_What_?"

Even Marvin looked up and seemed somewhat taken aback. Yuri elaborated, "I contacted your CIA and told them I wanted Cooper. We came to an agreement. I paid some money and they said I could take him out without repercussions. And that's what I did. But Cooper somehow managed to kill my assassin so I have to send out a new one. Sooner or later I'll get him."

"With whom did you speak at the CIA?"

Yuri shrugged. "The name was Thompson or so."

Thomason. The new agent in charge of Cooper. Frank filed this information away for later. Cooper would surely want to have a conversation with this bastard. At first they had to take care of Shermetjew. Frank saw the little man in a completely new light. The guy had actually contacted the company and had bartered for one of their agents. Frank didn't know if Yuri had balls made of steel or if he was simply insane. Either way, the man had to be stopped. Sooner or later one of his assassins would get in a lucky shot. Frank didn't like it, but Shermetjew had to go. He pulled out a gun. Yuri watched his move with wide eyes, but he didn't say anything. Frank had expected begging or bargaining, but Yuri kept his silence. Another surprise for him. Frank decided to make it fast. As much as he despised Shermetjew for his underhanded tactics, he didn't plan on torturing the man further. So he simply rose und dispatched Yuri with a bullet to his head.

Marvin grunted and petulantly asked, "Are we finally done here? Can we go now? I want pancakes."

Frank sighed and nodded.

* * *

"How are you feeling, Cooper?"

"Better. Thanks."

The younger man was half-sitting, half-lying on the bed and stared listlessly out of the window. Frank didn't like the look in Cooper's eyes, but he didn't comment. Instead he simply told him what had happened at Shermetjew's house. Cooper listened silently. He didn't move a muscle and there was no hint of any emotion on his face. Finally he said musingly, "So it was Thomason."

"Looks like it." Frank paused for a second. "Listen, kid. You need help with this?"

Cooper resolutely shook his head. "Nah, I'm good. I'm going to take care of it myself. Thanks for the offer, though."

Frank nodded. He hadn't expected anything else. He was aware that Cooper had absolutely hated the fact that they had helped him out, but there had been no other way.

"What are you going to do with your family?"

Cooper sighed and a look of profound unhappiness crossed his drawn face. "To tell you the truth, I have no idea. Of course I want them to know that I'm okay. I want to see my kids again. But I don't know… I need to think about it. I don't want to endanger them further."

In moments like this Frank was almost glad that he had no family. Sometimes it could get very lonely, but at least he didn't have to worry constantly about the safeness of the people he loved. How could the agent bear this?

Cooper's gruff voice startled Frank out of his morose thoughts, "I think I should get going. I imposed on you long enough."

"Don't be an idiot, Cooper. Stay a few more days. I don't mind."

"Okay."

Silently they watched each other. Suddenly Cooper said, "He _was_ an arms dealer, you know."

"Who?"

"Nikolai. I observed several of his transactions. We had ample documentation. He was the real deal. He was not innocent."

Maybe he was mistaken, but Frank thought that there was a faint thread of anxiety in Cooper's voice. He hastened to soothe the other man, "I know, kid. I know. It's okay. You did your job."

Cooper nodded, but there seemed to still hang an air of melancholy around him. Frank was surprised that he actually wanted to make the younger man feel better. He knew exactly how Cooper felt. He had felt exactly the same several times in his life. He wanted to help, but at the same time he wasn't sure how. He didn't want to make things worse. So he kept his silence, gently patted Cooper's uninjured shoulder, and left the room.

* * *

"You really ready to go, Cooper? You can stay longer if you like. I really don't mind."

Will couldn't help it, he had to smile. He'd had no idea that Frank Moses – the deadly and famed Frank Moses – could be such a mother hen. It was almost funny.

"I'm good, Moses. I need to take care of my business."

"Be careful, kid."

"Sure. Thanks for your help, Moses. I really appreciate it."

Moses shrugged. "No big deal."

Will gave a half-smile and made his way to the door. As he reached for the doorknob, Moses said, "Don't be a stranger, kid."

Will nodded and left Moses's house. He paused for a second on the porch. He still wasn't sure what he would do now, but he would find his way. At first he would pay a visit to Thomason. Everything else would come to him in time.

THE END.


End file.
